The Family-Friendly Antics of ‘Critters’

Kill Krites.

After kicking off August with discussions of Paul Morrissey’s Udo Kier-starring vehicle Blood for Dracula (listen) and Julia Ducournau’s confronting Raw follow-up Titane (listen), we’re dialing things back a bit with a comfort watch of Stephen Herek‘s 1986 cult classic (and franchise originator) Critters!

Critters sees an fuzzy alien race known as the Krites flee a prison asteroid and land next to a farm in the small town of Grover’s Bend. Kansas. The farm belongs to the Brown family — Jay (Billy Green Bush), Helen (Dee Wallace), their daughter, April (Nadine Van Der Velde), and their son, Brad (Scott Grimes) — and they must fend off the malevolent little critters with the help of two alien bounty hunters with superhuman abilities.

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Episode 297: Critters (1986)

Hop out of that toilet and repair that slingshot because we’re headed to the cozy little town of Grover’s Bend, Kansas to meet up with some Krites in Stephen Herek‘s 1986 horror comedy Critters (can you believe it’s Joe’s first time???).

Join us as we go deep into the production of this film that’s absolutely not a ripoff of Gremlins (seriously!) before diving into the hilarious antics of the titular toothy furballs and the adventures of the Brown family.

Plus: a discussion of “toned films,” not-so-bratty-Brad (Scott Grimes), bowling alley shenanigans and one absolutely hilarious use of subtitles.

Cross out Critters!

Coming up on Wednesday: Just in time for the 36-years-later sequel, we’re taking a look at Tim Burton’s original classic Beetlejuice!

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